State Shipping Service of Western Australia was a government transport entity created in 1912, following the Western Australian state election, 1911, with an emphasis on providing reliable transport to the North West ports of the state.
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Naming
It was originally known as the State Steamship Service and kept that name until 1918. From 1913 to 1918 it was controlled by the Fremantle Harbour Trust.
In 1919 the name was changed to State Shipping Service.
In 1979 the service name was changed to 'Stateships In 2005 the service ceased trading as it no longer operated any ships.
However, a newer instrumentality - the Western Australian Coastal Shipping Commission, deals with ongoing former employee compensation claims. It is administered by the Department of Transport.
History
On 4 May 1912, the State Steamships Service was formed by the Scaddan government in response to requests for improved services along the North West Australia coast after the Adelaide Steamship Company withdrew its services. It was controlled by the Fremantle Harbour Trust until 1918. In January 1919 it was renamed the State Shipping Service (SSS).
In November 1965, the SSS came under the responsibility of the Western Australian Coastal Shipping Commission. Passenger services ceased in 1973. In January 1979 the service was rebranded Stateships.
In June 1995 the government announced Stateships would cease operations with the remaining three vessels sold. The government provided a subsidy to a privately operated service from Fremantle to Port Hedland, Broome and Wyndham until it ceased in 2013.
Operations
Having previously operated exclusively between Western Australian and Northern Territory ports, in 1964 the SSS began operating an irregular service that circumnavigated Australia in a clockwise direction in six weeks. The first voyage left Fremantle on 11 March 1964 calling at Darwin, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The service ceased in July 1969 with the Kangaroo, Koojara and Koolama II having collectively operated 18 voyages.
The former offices in Fremantle, are now used by the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, and various artefacts from the service are housed in the Fremantle Maritime Museum
Ships
A collection in Battye Library has a set of photographs of the ships that were used by the service
The ships used by the service included: